"Papa!" Riverglade bolted to her father's side. Stormwing nuzzled his filly, then listened to what Hawkwing had to say. Riverglade saw Lightbreeze standing with Flamefire.
"Why have you come here, Stormwing?" Hawkwing demanded to know.
"I've come for my filly."
"They trespassed," Hawkwing lied.
"No, they didn't." Stormwing said. "My mate, Brightcloud, sent sent the weanlings out to the void with one of our steeds, Sablestone, to help them with flying during the migration."
Hawkwing pricked his ears, and tilted his massive head. "Sablestone? He was in training to be a captain in my army. He failed to complete an assignment, and was banished from Plains Herd. He's in Canyon Herd, you say?"
Stormwing kept a close eye on the Plains Herd steeds around them. "Yes," He said, wary of the foreign pegasi.
Riverglade nudged her father with her nose. "Papa," she whispered. She had to tell him about Sablestone!
Stormwing gave her a sharp look. "Not now, Riverglade."
She huffed, annoyed.
"I'm taking these fillies home," Stormwing said.
Hawkwing pinned his ears. "No. They are my captives. If you really want them back, you will have to trade for them."
Stormwing sighed, having hoped it wouldn't have come to this. "I am prepared to offer you Crystal Lake and the forest on the southeastern corner of our territory." Canyon Herd was the second smallest of the five herds, and it was extremely difficult for Stormwing to give Plains Herd even a small portion of their territory.
"I don't want just a tiny corner of your lands," Hawkwing refused.
Stormwing lashed his tail, frustrated. "What will you take, then?"
Hawkwing puffed his feathers and chest, making him appear even larger and more intimidating than he already was. "You know what I want." He said.
Stormwing did. Hawkwing had tried many times to gain control of Canyon Herd and it's lands long before Riverglade was born. He pawed the ground. "You cannot have Canyon Herd's lands, nor our steeds."
Hawkwing did a small rear. "Then you cannot have the fillies."
The two overstallions faced each other, neither wavering in stance. Seeing them in front of each other at the same time made Riverglade realize just how different they are. Stormwing became overstallion because he loved his herd, and was fearless and dedicated to his job. None of it was for personal gain. Hawkwing, on the other hoof, did it all for power.
After a while, Stormwing lowered his head the tiniest bit. "May I speak with my filly?"
The large brown pinto snorted. "Fine."
Riverglade followed her father into the cave. "Papa, don't trade Canyon Herd for me. It's not worth it. You'll be killed, who knows what will happen to Mama, and I'll just end up here again."
Stormwing looked at Riverglade with relief and extreme pride. He exhaled. "I'd hoped you'd understand." He said.
Suddenly she threw up her head. "Papa! Sablestone is a traitor!" Her father's eyes in surprise. "Lightbreeze and I eavesdropped on him and Hawkwing's captain, Cloudfire, and his team. This was planned! Sablestone wasn't banned, he was sent to Canyon Herd, to try and overthrow you! This was his last assignment, before he would become a captain. But he wanted to stay in Canyon Herd, and something about a special mare....."
Stormwing pinned his ears and pawed the ground, created a cloud of dust and dirt. "Sablestone will pay for this...."
Descriptions: Canyon Herd Riverglade: Bold, blue roan filly speckled with dozens of tiny light-brown, gray, and white dots, with dark, dusty-blue wings, dark stormy-gray mane and tail, brown legs.
Lightbreeze: Pretty light palomino filly with gold-tipped pink-champagne colored feathers, thin blaze, and one small hind sock.
Stormwing: Overstallion. Intimidating brown grullo with dark-turquoise feathers, snip on nose, 4 high socks.
Brightcloud: Lead mare. Pretty cremello with mix of light and dark pink feathers, thin stripe down face, 4 small socks, and twinkling blue eyes. Flamefire: Top captain in Canyon Herd's Army. Bay roan stallion with blood-red feathers, stripe down face, and two hind white socks. Ashwind: Dark, dapple gray colt with pale-green feathers and silver mane and tail.
Nightshade: Boisterous bay colt with yellow feathers, golden eyes. Sunfeather: Shy dun filly with red-orange feathers, dorsal stripe, and golden eyes. Nightshade's twin sister.
Sunflower: Palomino mare with a light purple feathers, large star on forehead, and 3 white socks.
Sablestone: Young, buttermilk buckskin pinto stallion with sky blue feathers, blue eyes, bald face.
Plains Herd:
Hawkwing: Overstallion. Ruthless brown pinto with white feathers tipped in brown. (or whatever color hawk wings are hehehe see what I did there? hehe) Mooncloud: Lead mare. Dark silver appaloosa mare with light aqua feathers, long, wavy, black mane and tail, and black points.
Cloudfire: Captain. Perlino stallion with dark purple feathers, thin blaze down face.
Aspenglade: Skyherder. Small, red dun mare with coral feathers and blaze. Graydawn: Skyherder. Gray mare with red feathers, and broken stripe on face. Gingerroot: Chestnut snowflake appaloosa mare with light yellow feathers, wide blaze, 4 tall white socks. Strikestorm: Bay blanket appaloosa stallion with light yellowish-green feathers. Rockwind: Heavily spotted dark bay stallion with royal blue feathers.
I just want to point out something. If Canyon Herd is turned over to Hawkwing... won't the fillies stay his?
yes. -spoiler spoiler- but Stormwing won't let that happen.
btw, I finished Skysun's drawing, and can start on yours !
@Riverglade YAAY! You know what it is, right?